[Construction of an Irish cabin]

Artist(s): Arthur Young (Draughtsman)

Four images of a mud-wall cabin. The first, in the top left-hand quarter, shows the walls of the cabin without roofing, with two men at work on their construction. In the top right, the wooden framework of the roof has been erected on top of the walls. In the bottom left, the complete thatched roof is in position. In the bottom right, a more dishevelled cabin is seen from further away. It has been built against the slope of a hillside, and smoke is rising from the doorway. <br>The illustration is a greyscale ink wash drawing with light blue wash borders.

Image Details

Genre	Scientific or Technical illustration
Technique	Wash drawings
Subject(s)	Agriculture, Architecture, Rural life
Geographical Location	Leinster – Province Meath – County Summerhill – Village
Keyword(s)	Cabins, Construction, Cottages, Men, People
Colour	Monochrome
Dimensions	19 cm x 23.7 cm
Published / created	1780

Bibliographical Details

Travel Account	A Tour in Ireland [Young; copy with unique drawings]
Contributor(s)	Arthur Young — Role: Author of travel text
Print or manuscript	Print
Location of image in copy	opp. p. 25
Source copy	National Library of Ireland LO 10203
Permalink	https://ttce.universityofgalway.ie/irelandillustrated/view/image/ii_image_1369749111
Rights	Courtesy of the National Library of Ireland

Related text from travel account

From hence took the road to Summerhill, the seat of the Right Hon. H. L. Rowley, the country is chearful and rich; and if the Irish cabbins continue like what I have hitherto seen, I shall not hesitate to pronounce their inhabitants as well off as most English Cottagers. They are built of mud walls 18 inches or 2 feet thick, and well thatched, which are far warmer than the thin clay walls in England. Here are few cottars without a cow, and some of them two. A bellyful invariably of potatoes, and generally turf for fuel from a bog. It is true, they have not always chimneys to their cabbins, the door serving for that and window too: if their eyes are not affected with the smoke, it may be an advantage in warmth. Every cottage swarms with poultry, and most of them have pigs. [p. 21]